Surface grinder for mill housings and the like



J 1952 D. J. DONATO 2,581,244

SURFACE GRINDER FOR MILL HOUSINGS AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 16, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 WWW Jan. 1, 1952 D; .1. DONATO 2,581,244

SURFACE GRINDER FOR MILL HOUSINGS AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 16, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 .Fan. 1, 1952- D. JjDONATQ 2,581,244

SURFACE GRINDER FOR MILL HOUSINGS AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 16, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 D. J. DONATO SURFACE GRINDER FOR MILL HOUSINGS AND THE LIKE Jan. 1, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 16, 1949 2 a 2 4 ma; o lr\ r I. I w 1 M) m MW I1 MW A m M w Jan. 1, 1952 J; D N T 2,581,244

SURFACE GRINDER FOR MILL HOUSINGS AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 16, 1949 W Fig. /0.

5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Jan. 1, 1952 SURFACE'GRINDER FOR MILL HOUSINGS AND THE LIKE Dominick J. Donato, Coatesville, Pa.,.assignor to Lukens Steel Company, Coatesville, Pa., a corporationoiiPennsylvania Application September 16, 1949', Serial No. 116,195

4 Claims. (Cl. 51-24 1) This invention relates to surfacegrindersand more particularly 'to a grinde'rada'pted to be' used on large vertical surfaces such as rolling mill housings.

The housing of a rollingmill used in sheet Fig. 9 is a perspective showin one of the gib steel and steel plate mills is subJect to cOnp a e f guiding t grinder 0h v y slderable wear due to the tremendous stresses Fi 10 is an nlar d s t al detail, as seen and impacts exerted during the rollin of a steel atllJ-lll' of Fig- 3; and billet into steel sheet or plate. When the wear Fig. 11 is a di gr mm i vi w f h reversing in the mill housing exceedspredetermined tol- 10 mechanism Of F g- 1 and e W ng dia elances, it is necessary to take down the mill therefor. and to replace or to refinish the worn surfaces The inve o Co p essentially the p of the housing. The size of the housings has vision of a pair of removable ways for the verbeen such that heretofore no adequate means tical side edges of a mill housing Oro he large even in large rolling mills could be employed t 15 structure on which it is desired to mount a surrepair these housings in situ, and it was necesface grinder. In the pres nt inst n the W sary to ship them'to a location where special e d d to be qu y attached just prior equipment was available for thispurpose. This o e grinding Operation and y may theh necessitated lengthy shutdowns and involved be qui y detached in Order to p the mill considerable expense. In orderto overcome this h s ng b into V The grinder itself diinculty, 'Ihave devised an apparatus whereby comprises a framework adapted to slide vertically the millhousin'g may be refinished and put back on the mill housing ways on gibs. The frameinto operation within a'matter of hours. Wo at O end has platform 011 Which the A primary object of th i ti therefgre, reversing mechanism for a transverse horizontal is to provide a grinder which may Ice-quickly atfeed screw is mounted. This horizontal feed tached to a mill housing and which will auto- Screw serves to reciprocate a C r a b ck and matically and accurately finish the surface of forth over the framework and suitable limit stops said housing adapted to'be contacted by the carriage actuate A further bject of t invention is t provide the reversingmechanism for the horizontal feed an improved mounting and supporting structure Screw- T Carriage s P d W a c os f heavyweight grinding attachments head which can be adlusted in a vertical d1- A further object of the invention is to provide rectlon' by means of a Vertlcal feed screw on improved automatic control mechanisms for a the cross 116%? In the preferred form? h heavy surface grinden amount of vertical travel for the cross head is A still further object or the invention is to s5 9 Border so that after h provide an automatic reversing mechanism for f l for the crofss a has been reached surface grinders and the like, by which reversal m one posltlon, the entire grmder assembly may of direction is instantaneous. be raised to a successive position on the ways,

Further objects will be apparent from the g f 1: gi a g zfi ultaole count rwe g sre provl e or rea 1 y i i 'i wi m 40 raising and lowering the entire assembly. The

Fig. 1 IS a side elevation showing a mill housing cross head carries a bracket in which the having a pair of surfacegrlnders attached thelegrinder is mounted and theamount of out is to; controlled by means of a second horizontal feed Fig. 21s a fragmentaryend elevation of'one of 5 screw located at right angles to the main tnegrinders shown in 1; I verslble fe'ed screw on the frame.

3 1s a fragmentary Sect1na1 on an In addition to the reversing mechanism which enlarged scale, as seen at 33 of Fig. 1 enables the direction of travel of the carriage to s- 4 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation be reversed so quickly that it is possible to re- ShOWihg the pp Side f One f the grinders verse carriage travel in the middle of a traverse seen in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view on an enlarged scale, as seen at 5 5-of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional "view on-an enlarged scale, as seen ate-B bi Fig-2;

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view on an enlarged scale, as seen at 1.! of Fig. 2;

'Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional detail, as seen at 8-8 of Fig 2;

without waiting for the grinder to become disengaged with the workpiece, the carriage may also be mounted at positions so that the grinder maybe either above or below the main frame. 1

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, a mill housing comprises a pair of upright pillar sections |5a, |5b, a base I50, and a connecting arch |5d. The inner oppositely opposed faces of pillars I51 and |5b are finished and must be held to close working tolerances. In refacing the bearing surfaces of pillars |5a and I52), I propose to build up these faces with stainless steel to a point well beyond the finished dimension. Grinder assemblies l8 and H are then mounted on vertical ways l8, Mia, and |9, which are detachably secured to the housing by means of spacing collars 29, 20 and cap screws 2|, 2|. It will be understood that Fig. 1 illustrates the use of grinder assemblies |6and H which are identical in every respect. In the interest of clarity therefore, it is considered necessary to describe only one grinder assembly although it will be understood that in servicing a mill housing, it may be desirable to operate two simultaneously.

The grinder assembly proper comprises cross frame 22 which supports the main horizontal feed screw 23 by means of end plates 24, 25 in which the feed screw is suitably journaled. The frame member 22 is welded at one end to gib 26 (Fig. 5)

which extends backwardly to engage the outside face of way l8 and also to abut the front face of way |8 as shown in Fig. 3. A retaining plate 27 is secured to the rear edge of gib 26 by means of cap screws 28, 28. The other end of frame member 22 is slidably guided on way |9 by means of a gib plate 39 (Fig. 9) having a T-slot 3| adapted to fit over member 22, as shown in Figs. 3 and 6. Gib plate 30 is provided with a pair of rollers 32, 32 which engage the front face of way |'9. Retaining plate 33 slidably contacts the rear edge of way |9 and is attached to plate 38 by means of cap screws 34, 34. Gib 26 carries a limit switch assembly 48, whereas gib 3B likewise carries a limit switch 4| and these switches are provided with contact arms 42 and 43 respectively. The function of the switches will be more fully described hereinafter.

Vertical movement of the grinder assembly is guided and controlled by means of ways H3 and |9 and the cooperating structure described above, which is secured to the frame member 22. Raising and lowering of the grinder is facilitated by means of counterweights 44 and 45 which are attached to frame 22 at rings 46, 41 by means of cables 48 and 48 suspended from pulleys 50, 50. i As shown in Figs. 3, 5 and 6, frame member 22 is provided on its front face with upper and lower flanges 22a and 221) on which the carriage 5| reciprocates back and forth horizontally. The carriage 5| has cooperating legs and flanges 5|a and 5|b forming a horizontal guide which overlaps the flanges 22a. and 22b of the frame member 22. The front face of carriage 5| is provided with a vertical T-slot 52 which permits vertical movement of cross slide 53 by means of the overlapped interengagement between flanges 53a, 5311 on cross slides 53, and flanges 5|c, 5|c on carriage 5 The cross slide 53 is actuated vertically by means of screw 54 journaled in brackets 55 and 56 on carriage 5| (Fig. 8) and this screw extends upwardly through bracket 56 where it is provided with a gear 51 which meshes with gear 58. The actuating mechanism for screw 54 comprises a slotted or splined shaft 59 which extends substantially the entire length of frame 22 and is mounted in brackets 68 and 6| bolted to the ends of frame 22 by means of screws 62, 62. A hand screw 23 causes crank 63 is secured to one end of shaft 59 which extends through bracket 69 for convenient manual adjustment of the cross slide. The central portion of shaft 59 is slidably engaged with bevel gear 64 which is journaled in bracket 65, mounted on the top of carriage 5|. Bevel gear 64 meshes with bevel gear 66 which is in turn secured to gear 58 by means of vertical shaft 61 pivotally supported in plate 68. It will thus be apparent that rotation of crank 63 serves to turn screw 54 and thus raise and lower cross slide 53 through a half nut 69 which is selectively engageable with screw 54 by means of a handle 19 (Fig. '7). Half nut 69 is horizontally slidable in a socket formed by walls 12, 12 formed on web 13 of the cross slide 53. The half nut 69 is provided with a shank I4 extending through a cup washer l5 seated in socket H and retaining a helical spring 16 which serves to urge the nut against the threads of screw 54. When the handle 19 is retracted, spring i6 is compressed and nut 69 withdrawn from engagement with the threads of screw 54 to a distance sufiicient to permit the nut to pass over both brackets 55 and 56. In this way, the cross slide may be completely removed from carriage 5| in order that its position may be reversed on the carriage.

The bottom of the cross slide 53 carries an elongated guideway having a horizontal T-slot which is engaged by the flanges 8|, 8| Of grinder bracket 82. Adjustment of the grinder bracket 82 is achieved by means of a threaded wing nut 83 which may be locked in any desired position by means of a spring-loaded dog 84. The grinder bracket 82 may be made in two parts, as shown in Fig. 8, in which the upper part 82a is in slidable engagement with the guideway 80 of cross slide 53, and in which the lower part 821; is secured to the upper part 82a by means of cap screws 85, 85. A conventional electric or pneumatic grinder 86 is clamped in bracket 82 by means of caps 81, 81 and is provided with a grinding wheel 88 adapted to contact the work surface to be ground.

Reciprocating action of carriage 5| and its associated elements is achieved through feed screw 23 which is threadedly engaged with a follower nut 99. Nut 99 is secured between the arcuate flanges 9|, 9| of bracket 92 which is in turn secured to the carriage bymeans of screws 93, 93. It will thus be understood that clockwise rotation of screw 23 causes carriage 5| to travel horizontally in one direction across frame member 22, and counterclockwise rotation of carriage 5| to travel in the opposite direction. Frequently it becomes necessary to reverse the direction of carriage travel short of a full stroke in order to grind off an especially high spot on the mill housing. In this event, unless the carriage is reversed in a minimum of time, an undesired depression or groove may be ground in the face of the housing. In order to eliminate this disadvantage therefore, I have devised an especially efficient and quickoperating reversing mechanism for the feed screw I Referring now to Figs. 2 and 3, frame member 22 at one end is provided with an extension which forms a platform 94 on which is mounted an electric motor 95 drivingly connected to jackshaft 96 by means of chain 91 and sprockets 98, 99. Jackshaft 96 is journaled in pillow block Hill at one end and is provided with a pulley l0! rigidly secured thereto. At the other end, jackshaft 96 is J'ournaled in and drives a reverse gear box )2 which caussshaft I03 and pulley I04 to turn in a direction opposite to that of shaft'96.

Referring now to Fig. 10, the specific structure of the reversing device comprises. a jack shaft I05 journaled in pillow blocks I06 and I01 mounted on platform 94. Shaft I05 is drivingly connected with feed screw 23 by meansof chain I06 and sprockets I09, H0. Shaft I05 extends longitudinally through a pressure-tight cylinder housing III supported'by legs H2 and M3 on platform 94. A pulley lie is rotatably mounted at one end of shaft I05 by means of annular bearing H5 so that the pulley H4 is normally free to turn on shaft I05. Pulley II4 is driven from jackshaft 96 through belt II6 and pulley II. The opposite endof shaft I05 likewise carries a pulley II1 rotatably journaled on shaft I05 by means of bearing H0. Pulley H1 is drivingly connected to shaft I03 and pulleyI04 by means of belt II 9; Since pulley II? is connected to shaft I03, whereas pulley I I4 is connected to shaft 96, it will be appreciated that pulleys H4 and I I1 rotate at all times when motor 95 is running and in opposite directions to each other.

A clutch carrier I20 is slidably keyed to shaft I05 in such a way that the friction face I2I on the clutch carrier is adapted to engage the annular face I22 of pulley II4. Clutch carrier I20 is spring-loaded by means of a plurality of helical compression springs I23, ing plate I24 rigidly keyed to shaft I05 by means f key I25. Thrust imparted to backing plate I24 may be transmitted to the inner race of bearing II5, whereas ample clearance is provided between the backing plate I24 and pulley, II4. Thrust of springs I23 in the opposite direction is transmitted through clutch carrier I20 to annular thrust bearing I26 mounted on shaft I between clutch carrier I and flanged collar I21 which functions as a piston in one end of housing III.

A suitable fluid seal or ing ring I29 :are provided the piston is free to slide axially within housing III and independently of shaft I05. Th construction and actuation of the opposite clutch carrier I20 and its associated parts is identical to that just described in connection with clutch carrier I20. Corresponding parts for each clutch assembly have therefore been given primed numbers. 7

The interior of cylinder housing III is divided into two separate cylinders I30 and I3I, piston I21 being contained in the formerand piston I21 being contained in the latter. Fluid connection to cylinder I30 is by means of passage I32 and conduit I33, whereas fluid communication with cylinder I3I is by means of fluid passage I34 and conduit I35. When no fluid pressure exists in either cylinder, the clutch carriers I20 and I20 assume the disengaged position as shown in Fig. 10. When however, pressure is suppliedto conduit I33 and piston I21, clutch carrier I20 isslidably moved on shaft I05 until thefriction surface I2I thereof drivingly engages the side face of pulley I I4, thus causing shaft I05 to be rotated in the same direction as the pulley.

The cylinder housing III is provided with a pair of cylinder heads I36, I36 at either end thereof, which are secured to the cylinder proper in any suitable manner, such as by screws. The opposite or internal head for the cylinder is comprised of an annular wall I31 in which passages I32 and I34 are located. Shaft I05 islournaled inzthe cylinder housing I II by'meansof, a-pair packing I28 and backfor piston I21 so that I23 which abut a back- 1 is actuated to close 1 limit switch 4|.

6 of sleevebea'ziings I38, I38" which are retained in the housing by means of collars I39, I39. Inner wall I31 extends axially at IBM and I31b to provide suitable seats for bearings I38, I38.

When fluid pressure is introduced into cylinder I3I through conduit I35,c1utch carrier I20 will then be urged-axially outward until the fac ing I2I engages pulley I I1. This connects shaft I05 withpulley I I1 and causesit torotate in the opposite direction since pulleys H2 and I I1 are counter-rotating.

- Referring now to Fig. 11, the means for actuating thepistons I21and I21 comprises a walking beam I60 which is pivoted at I4I on valve housing I42 which is in turn mounted on platform 94. Flui pressureis introduced into housing I42 through passage I43 which communicates with a chamber I44. When valve I45 is moved to its downward position, as shown in Fig. 11, by means of valve rod' I45a, fluid is. permitted to flow from chamber I44 into conduit I33 to actuate piston I 21. In this position the relief port I 46 is closed by valve I45. When the walking beam I40 is pivoted to-its opposite position, valve I45 conduit I33 to chamber I44 by means of spring I41 and to'open the relief port I46 thereby opening conduit I33, permitting springs I23, I23to returnclutch carrier I20 and piston I21 to the disengaged position shown in Fig. 10. However, since movement of walking beam 140 also moves valvel48 downwardly by means of valve rod I48a, fluid pressure from chamber I44 passes through conduit I 35 to chamber I30 to cause engagement of clutch carrier I20 with pulley II1, thereby instantaneously reversing the direction of rotation of shaft I05 and the horizontal direction of travel of carriage 5|. I have found in practice that the time required to eifect the reversal of the carriage is practically instantaneous and that the reversing mechanism is relatively simple and highly effective.

The position of walking beam I40 is controlled by means of a pair of solenoids I 50 and I5! which are in turn selectively energized by closing of limit switches 40and 4I. When carriage 5| has reached the limit of horizontal travel, either bracket I52 or bracket I53 engages contact arm 42 or 43 to close their associated limit switches 40 and 4|, as the case may be. Fig. 11 illustrates the position of the mechanism when carriage 5I has reached the limit of travel in a right-hand direction and bracket I52 has urged arm 53 to close the circuit between contacts I54 and I55 of As soon as contacts I55 and I55 have been closed-current from a source of power I56 flows through line I51 to solenoid I56. The return line I58 from solenoid I56 is connected to contact I 59 of relay I66. The corresponding contact I6I of relay I 60 is connected to the source of power I56 through line I62 to complete the circuit to solenoid I50 when relay I60 is energized to close contacts I59 and I 6I The energizing circuit for relay I60 is through line lfis'from the power source to the relay, thence through lines I 64 and I65 to contact I54 of limit switch ill. The return line I66 from contact I55 of switch 4| is connected to the contact I61 of relay I60 through line I68 and alsoto thepower source I56 through line I62, thus completing the circuit to energize relay I60 when contacts I54 and I55 are closed. Therefore it will be'seen that as soon as carriage 5I closes switchdhactuation ofrelay I60cdeenergizes solenoid I:5I bybreaking thercircuit; throughcontacts I69: and: I10 of, relay I66, and then solenoid I56 is energized by closing the circuit through contacts I59 and I6! of relay I66.

As the carriage immediately begins to travel in the opposite direction on frame 22, switch II automatically opens due to the action of spring 2' which tends to move arm 43 to a normally open position. When this occurs, the holding circuit for relay Hi6 and consequently for solenoid I56 is through lines I63, I64, I12, contacts I13, I14 of relay I15, line [16, contacts I11, I61 of relay I66, and back to line I62 through lead "58. Thus it will be seen that solenoid I56 remains energized even after switch 4| is open during the return traverse of carriage 5I.

When carriage 5| reaches the limit of travel in a left-hand direction as seen in Fig. ll, bracket 153 engages arm 42 of limit switch 46 to close contacts I86 and I8I. This action closes the circuit through relay I15 by means of lines I62, I66, I62, I83, and I63. This actuation of relay I15 immediately deenergizes solenoid I50 by opening contacts I13 and I14, thus breaking the holding circuit for relay I56 and at the same time energizes solenoid I5I by closing contacts I84 and I85 of relay I15 to complete the circuit to solenoid I5i through lines I62, I86, I81, and I51. This action instantly pivots walking beam iii to reverse the carriage travel.

The holding circuit for relay I15 which is effec tive to continue the travel of carriage 5| after contacts I86 and IM have opened, is through lines I62, N36, to contact I89 of relay I15, thence to contact 196, line ISI, contacts I69 and I (which are closed due to the deenergization of relay I66), line I92, relay I15, line I83 and line I63. In this manner, the carriage may be caused to reciprocate transversely in the frame until the desired grinding operation has been completed.

In the preferred form of surface grinder, I have provided for approximately twelve inches of vertical operating travel of cross slide 53 on screw 54. After this grinding has been completed, the entire assembly is raised on ways I6 and I9 and cross slide 53 repositioned so that the next cut may be made. When the grinding has proceeded substantially halfway, the cross slide 53 may be reversed as shown in broken lines in Fig. 1, so that the other half of the mill housing may be ground. It will be understood that the operation may be conducted with one or two grinders. Fig. 1 illustrates how grinders having the platforms on opposite ends of the frame members may be used simultaneously in the same mill housing.

As soon as the grinding operation has been completed, the grinder assembly may be readily removed from the ways merely by detaching plates 21 and 33 whereupon the ways themselves may be removed and the mill housing returned to service.

The present grinder assembly greatly expedites the servicing of mill housings and has permitted the continued operation of the mill without any interruption in normal schedules. For example, the entire refinishing operation may be conducted at night or over a weekend, whereas heretofore it has been a matter of several days which in turn has necessitated the shutdown of the mill and the interruption of production schedules.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A surface grinder for mill housings and the like, comprising a frame, reciprocating carriage mounted on said frame, a grinding wheel journaled on the carriage and positioned to contact the vertical face of said mill housing, means for turning said grinding wheel, a feed screw journaled in said frame, a nut on the carriage in threaded engagement with said feed screw whereby the carriage is reciprocated on the frame, a platform on the frame, unidirectional driving means mounted on said platform for said feed screw, reversing means operably connected to the driving means and to the feed screw for instantaneously reversing the direction of rotation of said feed screw, a pair of -limit switches on the frame for actuating said reversing means, a pair of ways detachably secured to a workpiece and on a pair of gibs on the frame positioned to slidably cooperate with theways on the workpiece.

2. A surface grinder for mill housings and the like, comprising a frame, a reciprocating carriage mounted on said frame, a grinding wheel journaled on the carriage and positioned to contact the vertical face of said mill housing, means for turning said grinding wheel, a feed screw journaled in said frame, a nut on the carriage in threaded engagement with said feed screw whereby the carriage is reciprocated on the frame, a platform on the frame, unidirectional driving means mounted on said platform for said feed screw, reversing means operably connected to the driving means and to the feed screw for instantaneously reversing the direction of rotation of said feed screw, a pair of limit switches on the frame for actuating said reversing means, a pair of ways detachably secured to a workpiece and on which the frame is movable, mounting means for detachably securing said ways to a workpiece, a first gib on the frame for cooperating with one of said ways, said gib being integrally secured to the frame, a retaining plate detachably secured to said gib, a,second gib slidably mounted on the frame to slidably engage the second way, and a removable retaining plate detachably secured to said second gib.

3. A surface grinder for mill housings and the like, comprising a frame, a reciprocating carriage mounted on said frame, a grinding wheel iournaled on the carriage and positioned to contact the vertical face of said mill housing, means for turning said grinding wheel, a feed screw journaled in said frame, a nut on the carriage in threaded engagement with said screw whereby the carriage is reciprocated on the frame, a platform on the frame, unidirectional driving means mounted on said platform for driving said feed screw, reversing means operably connected to the driving means and to the feed screw for instantaneously reversing the direction of rotation of said feed screw, a pair of limit switches on the frame for actuating said reversing means, a pair of ways detachably secured to a workpiece and on which the frame is movable, a first gib adapted to cooperate with one of said ways, said gib being integrally secured to the frame, a retaining plate detachably secured to said gib, a second gib adapted to slidably engage both the other of said ways and the frame, a removable retaining plate detachably secured to said second gib, and a roller on said second gib, said roller and retaining plate cooperating with the other of said ways to position the second gib on said last named way.

4. A surface grinder for mill housings and the like, comprising a frame, a reciprocating carriage mounted on said frame, means including a feed screw mounted on the frame for controlling the horizontal reciprocation of the frame with rewhich the frame is movable, and

speot to the housing, means on the carriage en gageable with said control means whereby the carriage is reciprocated on the frame, a platform on the frame, unidirectional driving means mounted on said platform for said feed screw, reversing means operably connected to the driving means and to the feed screw for instantaneously reversing the direction of rotation of said feed screw, a pair of limit switches on the frame for actuating said reversing means, a pair of with the ways on the workpiece.

DOMINICK J. DONATO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number Number 10 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Salmon July 19, 1910 Reynard Aug. 29, 1916 Ruatti Aug. 26, 1924 Ellis July 26, 1932 Raule Feb. '7, 1933 Brown May 22, 1934 Van Valkenburg Dec. 3, 1935 Stetler Mar. 30, 1937 Steele Dec. 20, 1938 Cofiin Oct. 15, 1940 Clements Mar. 31, 1942 Stetler Aug. 10, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain June 7, 1907 Great Britain Oct. 2, 1930 

